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Techstination contains a wide assortment of reviews and
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A New Look for BlackBerry... The Storm

Techstination feature for Friday, November 21, 2008

A new look for BlackBerry...the Storm. Bloomberg Boot Camp, a report on today's technology. BlackBerry maker Research in Motion....is out with its first touch screen device....looking to stem defections to Apple's iPhone. The screen on the Storm depresses...giving users of the on screen keyboard a similar experience to the keyboards you'll find on other BlackBerrys. Hold it vertically...and you have a keyboard that mimics what is on the BlackBerry Pearl. Hold it horizontal....and you have a full QWERTY keyboard. The Storm ...is being sold by Verizon Wireless, where spokesman David Samberg says....

"The audience that this is going to appeal to is really a professional, who likes to have trendy devices. Who likes to have the latest and greatest but still needs the BlackBerry experience. Still needs the security of the BlackBerry, still needs the applications of the BlackBerry."

Still....the 3 megapixel camera...complete with flash and video capability, stereo Bluetooth and the included 8 gigabyte micro SD card...may help to widen the appeal of the Storm. It is being priced at 199 dollars with a contract...

"In addition to all the business tools that people are used to, is that it has VCast with Rhapsody. Now you can download your music wirelessly to your phone. It now has VZ Navigator. So you can get your turn by turn directions on the device."

The Storm uses Verizon's EVDO Rev A high speed network...but does not include WiFi. For some customers...that will put it at a disadvantage against both Apple's Iphone and the BlackBerry Bold....being sold by AT&T. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.